Tune a piano without tools

Tune a piano with;
-allen key
-1/4 inch socket
-jewlers screwdriver
-tuner on mobile phone (used DaTuner from Android Marketplace)

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• tune
• piano
• without
• tools
• upright

[derekjscott1]

Yes, i agree. Quick, dirty and dangerous. I bought a tuning hammer but it still does not seem to be the correct size and still slips. This is a very old cheap piano. Some other dodgy things are replacing the broken fabric strips on the hammers with fishing line (cable ties do not work as they push the hammer holding it against the string not allowing it to return to its original position, fishing line is very strong for pulling but has no force when pushing - perfect). Dodgy but functional.

[derekjscott1]

I attempt everything once, then i have respect for the professional upon realizing how difficult and laborious it is.

[derekjscott1]

Yes I agree, get a professional piano tuner to do it and stop researching half assed methods.

[derekjscott1]

I did but the tuner did not pickup the frequency for the last 5 lowest strings. Do buy a tuning hammer as the socket is a little loose. I bought one but it was the wrong size. If the pegs slip you can apply pin tightening fluid. Be so careful with the action when you remove it as a slight bump can damage it. Now a key does not mute and another is stiff and another does not spring back. Highly reccommend you pay a proffssional and do not try it yourself.

[tempolarolls]

For the efforts you are doing, it would be just as easy to obtain the proper tools, and learn the procedure.

[lbrentevans]

I have to agree that this is a very dangerous and inaccurate process. While there are computer programs out there for piano tuning, your phone app isn't one of them. Pianos are not always tuned to "standard" pitches, especially as you progress away from the middle of the keyboard. The shorter the strings, the more the tuning must be "stretched" in both directions to have a desirable sound. What makes a piano sound "in tune" is in the interactions between harmonic overtones of the notes.

[themanwhowas]

If you don't get the socket the right size you will damage the pins. Pin tightening fluid is like a quick and dirty fix. It either swells the bushing around the pin or corrodes the pin to make it tighter as rust expands. It's far better to get an oversize pin and replace the loose one. If you have lots of loose pins there is probably a crack on the board.

I tune my own piano and I admire DIYers like this but please, take his advice with caution

[Pnotek]

This is dangerous on so many levels.

[MovingUpp]

"socket end"! I've never seen that! I ended up welding two sockets together. That's great!

[DEZYCOM]

stop messing with dodgy tools you piano fiddler ...you have to tune alot of pianos to get them sounding nice ....it is an art ..not a mechanical exercise...its about feel for the pins....has to be done by ear to sound nice...some phone app.......

[ncjones01]

I found this helpful as I only had one string out of tune, and found it was not worth paying someone to come out and tune it for me, however I used my ear to tune it.

[321pocoyo]

I don't understand. Why you remove the action to tune the piano? if you try to tune it string per string with an electronic device you never will get a good tuning.